Chris Karol

1993 Burton prototype with the anti-chatter disco platter aka: "dog bone".

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/sports/30karine.html?_r=1&

Thanks Brian, sorry to hear you are on the AIL, I can definitely work out a local price minus the lodging expense but will first have to see if there are enough riders to make a go of it. If anyone in the Bend area would be willing to house a few athletes for the camp at a reasonable price that could also help bring the cost down to an affordable level and make it possible for the 4 athletes currently wanting to attend. Heal up quick and solid!

Thanks for the interest just the same LeeW, paying the bills is always part of the challenge!

Hello Bomber Community; Mt. Batchelor still has lots of snow and will be open for Teams to come and train next month. The mountain will not be open to the public during this time. I am looking for a few more riders to attend this training camp so I can lower the cost for those who have already expressed interest. It will be a small group of 8 riders max, but at 8 riders the cost is quite reasonable. I currently have 4 riders who would like to participate. The camp is open to ages 13 and up. Prior racing experience not required, but would like riders to have at least intermediate ability to participate Apologies for the last minute timing of this post but If anyone is interested please contact me by email asap. (I am currently in Europe and not using my phone) My email address is; chris@fastsnowboarding.com CAMP DETAILS; FAST Snowboarding Training Camp with Chris Karol (Alpine Race training with Gates, Timing & Video) Location: Mt. Batchelor, Oregon DATES: June 19-29 ARRIVAL on the 18th (3:00pm at the latest to Portland or 7:00pm at the latest to Redmond or Sunriver) DEPARTURE late afternoon on the 29th (after 5:00pm from Portland or after 2:00pm from Redmond or Sunriver) WEEKLY SCHEDULE & TRAINING PLAN (GS = Giant Slalom / SL = Slalom) ON-SNOW DAYS: 6/19 - GS, 6/20- GS, 6/21-SL, 6/23-GS, 6/24-SL, 6/25-SL, 6/27-GS, 6/28-GS, 6/29-SL REST DAYS; 6/22 and 6/26 DAILY SCHEDULE 5:45AM Wake-up & Breakfast 6:30AM Depart team house for Mt. Batchelor 6:45AM to 8:45AM Breakfast available in Lodge ($10 NOT included in camp price) 7:15AM Lifts open for coaches and set up crew 7:30AM Lifts open for athletes 12:45PM Last chair up 11:30AM to 1:00PM Lunch available in Lodge (included in camp price) 1:15PM Mountain cleared by Patrol 1:30PM Daily coaches meeting 3:00PM-6:00PM Tuning and Video review (done in rotation at team house) 6:30PM Dinner Prepared at team house by athletes (Dinner not included in camp cost) LOCKERS/WI-FI STATIONS Mt Batchelor has lockers and Wi-Fi available in their employee sprung. Teams can use the lockers for storage and utilize the space for tuning equipment and internet access, if needed. Locks provided. ($10.00 lock fee for unreturned/damaged locks). LODGING House rental in Bend, nicely furnished, sleeps up to 10, Dining room sits 8 + 3-4 bar stools, double car garage for tuning (photos of house available by request) PRICING Includes Lodging, 9 Days of Lift Tickets, Lane Space Coaching, Lunch on Training days (lunch not included on rest days), Daily Transportation to-and-from the hill and Airport Pickup and drop-off at Portland International Airport on June 18th and 30th. Airport pick-up and drop-off is also available at Redmond and Sunriver airports by request. Final price depends on the number of athletes attending as follows. (pricing is per-athlete) 4 athletes = $2500 5 athletes = $2100 6 athletes = $1800 7 athletes = $1700 8 athletes = $1600 If interested please let me know what your price limit is so I can determine if there will be enough riders to pull the camp off at that price. If I am able to get enough riders at a given price level I will have to have partial if not full payment made asap in order to confirm lodging and hillspace. I will not accept any payment for the camp until I have enough riders confirmed at an acceptable price level. Contact; chris@fastsnowboarding.com

Just lurking by here but I've been thinking about Snowflex lately so thought I'd chime in. I don't work for any the slope companies either but I was interested in doing something with snowflex a while back. I went to the factory in England, met with the guys who were super nice and busy building parks all over the UK and Europe. They gave me a tour of the factory and took me riding at a couple different slopes nearby in the English countryside. It's amazing how many dry and indoor slopes there are throughout the UK. I rode another one located in a parking lot between a Wal-Mart and a Mcdonalds off the highway in Aberdeen, Scotland. Most these places were in urban areas and busy with groups, classes and the usual suspects doing laps on the park features. It's been almost 10 years since I last rode the stuff so it may have changed, but, 10 years ago Snowflex slopes were padded with irrigated water-misters which spritzed some form of water onto the surface out of a recirculating pump system. The water had a slightly slimy RV anti-freeze quality to it but it kept the surface wet and slick. That said it felt faster riding on the base than it did on the edge. I found it difficult to carve on. It was fun to ride but it felt like it was best to skid the top of the turns and save the edging for the bottom of the turn. My only real complaint was that it was difficult to keep the board decambered throughout the top of a carve. I could feel the edge catch in the cornrows of the mat-weave and straighten the board as I was trying to carve through the top of the turn. The only solution seemed to be really over-pressured into the spongy surface but that took quite a bit of work and didn't feel very natural. The snowflex guys seemed to be aware of the cornrow issue back then so I'd be surprised if they haven't dealt with it by now. Dendex and a couple other companies make competing surfaces, most of which have holes, or diamond shaped patterns of nylon bristle. You can almost think of snowflex as packed powder, and this stuff as hardpack or ice. I think the holes in the dendex style surfaces eliminates the cornrow effect of the snowflex and allows you to get more of a real carve. Dendex slopes are also firmer surfaces compared to the snowflex slopes which may contribute to the carvability factor there. Only problem with the dendex style surface is that they can put your hands out of commission pretty quick. Don't pat the dog! Hope that helps! -CK

Bummer, looked like a good deal! I am still looking for used alpine boards in the 147-165 range in case anybody reading this has any to sell. Boots too (from size 7 to 10.5) -CK

Hi Boardski, I am interested buying your Pilot 147 board if it is still available. Please email me directly if it is at fastsnowboarding@gmail.com Thanks, Chris

Glad to see you go for it Alex! We'd love to place an ad for FAST in the mag and otherwise contribute however we can! Chris www.fastsnowboarding.com

Big thanks to Fin, Michelle and all who showed up for the FAST race clinic. Hope you all had fun and were able to pick up a few pointers along the way. For those who signed up for the Teton-Bros gear, the gear will be given away at the Swanquet so now everyone as SES has a shot at winning it. Not sure what Michelle will make you do to win it but wish I was there to find out! Thanks again, hope to see you all next year! Chris Karol

SWAG ALERT!! Big thanks to Nori from Teton-Bros apparel. ( www.teton-bros.com ) Nori has donated a sweet puffy down jacket along with a few other goodies to raffle off at the FAST race clinic. Sign up to win at the Bomber tent on Wednesday!!! Teton Bros. a small company from Japan and sponsor of FAST, makes very nice quality outdoor gear and casual wear. Not a big company, but really just one guy (Nori) who loves the outdoors, ski's like a maniac and knows how to make great gear. Please check it out online and on facebook! Teton-Bros will be available in the USA next season. THANK YOU NORI!!

I invited Chris Klug to come by on Wednesday for the FAST race clinic. He says he'll "be there, unless it pukes the night before, six inch rule in effect." He also mentioned that he wants to sell a bunch of his alpine gear (Burton race, PJ's!!!?, and new Kesslers. Not sure on details but you can ask him in person on Wednesday if interested. Two Ravens, I hope you swing by and try it out. Sounds like we may have a few people trying gates for the first time which is great! ... just another way to have fun on a snowboard!! Btw - Thinking I'll set both slalom and GS side by side in the morning, then set dual GS for the afternoon.

Michelle, 10:00 it is then! I'll plan to go up at 9:00 to set the course but let me know if there's any problem with that. (a few volunteers to help set would be great) ... good question Mike T. Lets say "intermediate" ability and above for this clinic, no gate experience necessary. So as long as you can make it from the top of Thunderbowl lift to the top of the course in one piece you should be fine. The morning clinic will be spent both in and out (mostly out) of the gates working on the what, why and how of things. I expect we'll be riding more in the training area on Thunderbowl rather than hooning all over the mountain. Helps keep things focused and also makes it easier for me to work with wider range of abilities. After lunch and the group photo at 1:00 I'd like to just open up the course and let everybody have fun running gates. This is gonna be fun, no need to be competitive about it but I will have timing available in the afternoon in case we need to settle any trash talk!